Process for converting heat into work.



k H. L. DOHBRTY. PROCESS FOR CONVERTING HEAT INTO WORK.

APPLIQATIOI FILED IAYO, 1905. nlinnwim APB; 8; 190a.

- Y 1 Ame-rap.- I I HENRY -J-,,'] onzn*rv '1 I i z y M iigg a;

PATEN'IBD OCT.- 23,1906,

' PATENTBD 001:. 2a, 1906.

. H. L. DOHBRTY.

PROGESS'POR CONVERTING HEAT INTO WORK.

APPLICATION FILED IAYB, 1905. RENEWED APR. 3, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Qfrwmior HENRY kIDoHsn'rf I (L -ti I "PATENTEDLOCTQ '23, 1906: H.L.DOHBRTY. PROCESS FOR CONVERTING HEAT INTO WORK.

grrmonmn rum) rue, 19o5. nxnwnn An. 1905.-

, tion' of the expanded or -'p'artially-expanded inafter .appear;iand to these ends the inven- 2O this improved process. 3

the superheaters usedin this boiler. I

s own,"inwhie the high-pressure cylinderis -represented byithe numeral 9, the first and connected by'appropriate pipin with the en-' H and 14 represen ts tor .companied by drawings.

'tially as hereinafter rful y described and claimed in thisspecification, and illustrated UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. HENRY L DoHE'RTn'oF MADISON, Wisconsin.

PROCESS :FORICONV'ERTINGHEA'T m'ro woRK.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. DoH'ERrY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Madison, Dane county, Wisconsin, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Converting Heat into Work, of which the following is a specificationac- This invention rel 'tes to an improved process for converting heat into Work which is adapted to heat engines of all kinds, more particularly to steam-engines, and has for its object to utilize the latent heat of vaporiza steam by imparting said heatto the expandg medium doing work or to the feed-water, or to both. a 7 I Further objects of the invention will heretion consists of a process for carryingout the above objects embodying the sequence of steps an methodo 0 oration, substanby means of the apparatus shown in the accompanying'drawings, in which v Figure 1 is aside elevation, (part1 in sec-I tion, of a steam-engine adapte to lustrate Fig.2 is an end elevation of the same.- Fig 3 is a plan-view of I apparatus, and 4 1sa sectidnalielevation o ig. 3 on the i y' l I l I is suitable steam-boiler for supplying steam to the steam-engine, and A is a flue to which other boilers may be connected,'ii desired.

0. represents'Qthe usual smoke-flue for the D represents, a suitable steam-engine forillustrating the process, in this instance a uadruple-ex ansion steam-engine being second intermediate cylinders are represented by 10 and ll'andthe low-pressure cylinderis represents by 12. Any suitable pistom' rods, valve-gearin and cranks and crank' shafts are provide Inthisinstance the en- 'ne D-is shown driving series of compressors andGy H represents a series of eight super-heaters, numbered from 1 to 8, inclusive, and suitably Specification of Letters Patent. Application m May 9,1905. Renewed Patented. Oct. 23,1906. f April 3, 1906- Sarial No. 309.664-

steam from the superheaters H, and l. is a suitable pump for pumping the condensed steam. back through the superheaters and from thence back to boiler B.

-13 is a condenser connected between the steam engine and the condensed steam tank 14. a

The apparatus so (far referred to is one suitable form of apparatus for carrying out this process; but the inventionis not limited -'to an particularforni of engine and auxiliary evices, because obviously many different mechanisms will be-i'ound for carrying any out the invention which may be applied in connection and with any apparatus which is fonnd useful. p

- In carrying out the process steam from the boiler B 1s preferably first supcrheatedi'n a portion of the superheaters Hand then led ,to thehigh pressure cylinder 9, from which theeXh'aust-steam is led back to a portion of the superheaters and superheated, as will hereinafter a'ppear,-and this exhaust-steam is suppliedto the first intermediate cylinder, and from thence the. exhaust is again carried'back vto the supe'rheaters and superheated and sup I lied to the second intermediate cylinder. 1

rom thence the steam is exhausted back to the superheaters, superheated,and is sup- '85 pressor J and thence to the superheaters, so

. that the exhaust from the first three cylinders of the engine is carried to the superheaters and 0 circulated therethrough and utilized expansively in doing work, while the steam from the low-pressure cylinder is compressed to a differentml temperature and a portion of; it is condensed in thesuperheaters, thereby im'- parting the latent heat of vaporization of the condensed ortion to the working steam to superheat t e same and also to preheatthe feed-water, ifdesired.

A-portion of'the steam supplied'to the gerheater 1 from the compressor J is con- 1 the uncondensed steam is. led to the compressor K and thenceback to superheater 2,

"where a portion of the compressed steam is condensed and' the uncondensed portion led gto another compressor L." This operation I lies to each-'oneof the superheatersthat ,say,icompressed steam'is suppliedv to n r "is; f eachionejef the superheaters and the conensed in said superheater, and this condensed "steam is led to the condenser-tank"14, while densedfsteam is led each case back' to the: A

condenser-tank 14, while the uncondensed steam is-compressed in one of the com ressors of the series E and G. The con ensed steam is pumped by the pump P from the condenser-tank 14 back'through a portion of the superheaters and from thence to the boiler Accordin lined it wil? be seen that the working steam for the engine-cylinders and the condensed steam with more or less water is circulating through the superheaters, as is also the steam from the series of compressors'E and G. Ac-

cording to this mode of operation the steam from the compressors which condenses is con tinually iving up its latent heat of vaporization to the working steam for the cylinders and to the condensed steam and water forming the feed-water for the boiler.-

The su erheaters H may be constructed any suita le manner with separate compartments, and provision ismade for circulating the condensed steam andwater through one set of compartmentswhile the steam is passing throu h another set. In this instance the super eaters'are shown in the form of chambers having upper and lower com artments 25 and 26, formed by the tubeeets- 27 and'28, into which the tubes 29 are expanded in the usual manner, so that communication is affordedbetween the compartments 25 and,26 only through the tubes 29.

The series of tubes 29 in each superheater are furthermore divided into groups by suitable partitions formed in the compartments 25 and 26.

Beginning with superheater 1, it will be seen that this su erheater is not divided into compartments, ecause here the feed-water only is heated. 'Su erheater 2 is divided into two groups of tuhes by partition 2, as is superheater 3 by artition 3. Superheater 2 is provided Wit compartments a and b,

' and superheater 3 has compartments 0 and e.

superheater 4is divided into three compartm'entsf, g, and h by partitions 4, l and 4. superheater 5 is divided into four compart ments '5, j, k, and l by partitions 5, 5

and 5 superheater 6 is divided into four compartments m, n, 0, and p by partitions 6 69, 6, and 6 superheater 7 is divided into four compartments r, s, and tby partitions 7 7", 7, and 7 uperheater 8 is divided into four compartments u, 'v, w, and y by partitions 8, 8,-8, and 8.

In order to illustrate the operation ofthe apparatus shown in-the drawings, I will describe the course -ofthe steam and water through theapparatus from beginning to end and I will assume that the steam 1s taken from the boiler B at about two hundred and sixty-six pounds pressure and'about 867.2 Fahrenheit absolute. In carryin out the operations of the apparatus I will a so specify to the cycle of operations 0ut-' the approximate pressure and temperature at each sta e of the operations.

Assume t at steam is taken from the bo1ler B at the ressure and temperature specifiedv d through pipe F to the lower porand is le tion of superheater 7 and supplied to compartment q and there superheatedto about 905 absolute. It then passes from the top of superheater 7 to the'top of superheater 8 by1 pipe 15 to section 0 of superheater 6, w ere t he temperature is raised to about 867 .2 absolute. It then passes by pipe to section 8 of superheater 7, where the temperature is raised to about 905 absolute, and it then passes through pi e F to section a: of superheater 8 and from t ence, still by pipe F to the -first intermediate cylinder 10,

where the steam expands from about one hundred and twenty-one pounds absolute and, about 956.7 absolute to sixty-one ounds absolute and about 755 absolute. The steam leaves the first intermediate cylinder 10 by exhaust-pipe 'E and is led to compartment 9 in superheater 4, where its temperature is raised to about 805 absolute. thence passes by pipe F to compartment j of superheater 5,

tinues y pi e F to compartment u of superheater 8, an from thence passes,still by pipe F to the second intermediate cylinder -11, where the steam ex ands from about 61.1 pounds absolute an about 956.7 absolute to about eleven ounds absolute and about 658 absolute. The steam leaves the second intermediate cylinderll b pipe E and passes to compartmenta-o superheater 2,

'where its temperature is raised to about The steam passes through 705.3 absolute. the superheaters by pipe F, and in compartment c=ofsuperheater '3 the tem erature is raised to about 7 55absolute. In each of compartments h, 70, n, r, and v oiv superheaters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 the temperature is raised, as hereinbefore described, and finally leaves superheater 8 by pipe F at about Thesteam is led through- 956.7- absolute. pipe 4' t0. the low-pressure cylinder l2at about eleven pounds absolute andthe tem- :perature specified about'956.7 absolute,

where it is expanded and takenoff at about thence by pi e F to compart- .ment m of superheater 6, t ence by pi e F -to com artment t of superheater 7 an contwo pounds lute-through exhaust ipe 'E. .A' portion of the steam may be con ensed in condenser 13 connedted to pipe E and controlled bya suitable valve 35. The amount of steam taken.

to the condenser 13 depends upon the load on the engine and may be controlled as desired. T e amount of steam led through the other branch of pipe Ev to the compressor J depends upon the amount of steamireguired that can be compressed and condense In compressor J the steam is compressed to about eleven pounds absolute and about 658 and pumped throu h pipe 0- to superheater 1 toheat the-fee -water which circulates through this superheater. .In superheater 1 a portion of the compressed steamis condensedand gives up its latent heat of vaporization to heat the feed-water; The condensed steam isled off through a suitable trap T. at the bottom of the 'su erheater and is run into the tank 14, from w ich it may be gumped by pump P, together with the con-' 3' or the boiler-feed. The pipe w is shown' connecting the pump P with sup'crheater '1,

ensed steamgfrom all of the eight traps T to T,'1nclusive, back to the superheaters, to-

ether with sufiic'ient extra water necessary and is also shown connecting all of the superheaters from; 1- to 6 and lea heatedto the corres onding1 'temperatures already designated or eac super-heater,

finally leaving superheater 6 at a tempera ture of about 867.2 absolute, thereby entering the boiler at the temperature of the pipes 29 are steam in thejboiler; It will be seen that the is led to auperheater 1 from compressor J and how a portion of the steam is condensed and returned to the tank'1 4Q The remaining portion of the compressed steam not condensed in superheater 1 is led through pipe b to compressor K of the series-of compressors E, where it is compressed to about twentyseizen pounds absolute and about 705.3 absolute, and passes from thence through pipe c to superheater 2. Pipe 0" communicates with-the chamber orispace in which i the superheaterpipes 29 are placed, so that the compressed steam circulates'aronnd and between the vertically-arranged superheat'pr-pi s 29, and a.

portion at the steam is condens giving up-its atent heat of vaporiztion and superheati thewo kininsteamwhich asses to the lowc-y. er also, ating the boiler same" absolute and about 5.87.2 absoing from thence to the boiler B after the water'has. been feed-water in the superheater-pipes 29 to about 705.-3 absolute. Thecondensed por I tionofthe steam is led through trap 2 and Pigs cl to tank 14;

superheaters is led through pipe (I to the tank 14, while the uncondensed compressed steam is led through a pipe to a compressor and from thence returned to the next adjacents'u erhjeater until the lastsuperheater 8 is reac ed in which all ofthe compressed steam should i be condensed. If, however, a portion of the steam should remain uncondensed in the superheater 8, suitable provision should be pro vided for leadin off said uncondensed steam. The compres'se steam in each superheater circulates outside the pipes 29 and in and around said pipes and gives up its-latent heat of vaporization to the working steam and to. the boiler feed-water circulating inside the 1 es. 1L, p hs stated, the latent heat of Va orization i of the compressed steam is utilize to super: heat the steam for the low pressurecylinder l and to preheat the'feed-water in superheater E 2 and this is also true of superheater 3; The ,latent heat of the compressed steam is utilized a in superheater 4 to superhe'at the working,

t be seen that from each of sin erheat- 0? t e com ressors'L, M, N, O, R, and S steam for the second intermediate-cylinder and the low-pressure cylinder and to preheat the feed-water; In superheaters 5 and 6 the latent heat of va ori zation of the compressed steam is utilized .to' superheat thefworking steam for "the first andsecond intermediate.

cylinders and the low-pressure cylinder and to preheat the feed-water. In'superheaters 7: and 8 the latent heat oiyaporization of the compressed steam is utilized to superheat the working steam for all four cylinders of the '1 en ine. w n compressor L before. the steam isled to superheater 3 it is,com ressed from about from abbutsixty-one pounds and about 755". 4 absolute to about one hundred and twentyfive pounds and about 8059 absolute, while n superheater 4- the wolikin'gsteam is super twent y-seven pounds a solute and about to about sixty-on pounds and about 7 steam is led to super-heater 4 it is compressed heated-to ab'dut' 805 absolute. 1 In com--= ter 5 it is com from about onehun-i N befo'r'e the steam; enters super-5;

&

dred and twenty five pounds and 80 to about two hundred and thirty pounds. and

855 absolute, and in thissuperheater the working steam is superheated to about 855 5 absolute and the water is preheated to about this temperature. In compressor 0 before the steam enters superheater 6 it is compressed from about two hundred and thirty pounds and about 855" to. two hundred and and in superheater 6 the working steam is superheated to about 867.2 absolute and the feed-water is preheated to about that a temperature. The feed-Water is taken off at this temperature andhe'ated' no higher, be-

' andfifty pounds and about 956.7 absolute, and in the last superheater 8 the latent heat of vaporization is utilized in superheating the 'workin'gsteam only, since the feed-water is'.

not passed through superheaters 7 and 8.

Gbviously in the ap aratus shown and described the compresse, steam could be passed through the ipes 29' in the superheaters, while the wor 'ng steam and the condensed steam and water could be assed through com artments formed outsi e of said pipes whic would be the reverse of the construction shown and described, but would be its equivalent.

According to this invention it .will be seen that the object in compressing the exhaustvapor is to increase its temperature to the de- 4 5 sired degree, and the pressure must be maintained at a point corresponding to the 'increased temperature of a saturated vapor. A art of the vapor will condense, givin up its latent heat of vaporization to'the med ium used, which in this articular instance is the working steam and eed-water, both being at a lowertern erature,which is to be increased. As soon as t econditionsare such that there is a transfer of heat from the compressed vapor to the Working steam and feed-water, a portionof the compressed steam is condensed,

and the pressure would drop andits temperature would, have a corresponding drop ifit because the" pressure is maintained by a new supply of the vapor coming overfrorn the several compressors to take the place of the.

efficiency of a steam-engine or. any heat-em seventy pounds and about 867 .2 absolute,

was not'maintained. This does not happen.

gins in'which condensible'va ors are used as the working medium by ut' 'zin the waste latent heat of'vaporization of t e exhauststeam which otherwise would be wasted and would not contribute to doing work. -7o

. Obviously this invention may be carried -'out by any suitable apparatus, and the 'fpro'eorms essma 'be embodied mwidely-varying' with ifierent modes of operation without departing from the spirit of theinventiom 7 5 The stages of compression and expansion may be, varied .in any desired manner, and the numberof ex ansions and number. of compressions may e varied as desired without departing from the invention. Without enumerating equivalents, I claim, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, the following: a

1. Heat-engine rocess consistin in expandinga condensfiilegas doin use work and 'compressing-avportion of t e expanded gas to raise its temperature, and transferring its latent heat of vaporization to gas before. ,expansion, wherebythe waste latent heat of the ex anded gas is partially restored to unexpandbd portions of gas. 2. Heat-engine process consistingin expanding steam doing useful work and. compressing a portion of the expanded-steam to raise its tem erature, and transferring its latentheat o va orization to steam before expansion, whereby the wastelatent heat of expanded steam is partially expanded portions of steain. v

3. Heat-engine process consist' insuper- 'io'o vheating'and expanding a condensib e gas 'doing useful work and compressing a portion of the expanded gas to raise its temperature, and transferringits latent heat ofva orization to gas before expansion, whereby the r05 restored to un- -waste latent heat of vaporization of the exed portions of gas. v

4,. Heat-engine process consisting inexpanding a 'condensible fluid doin useful no work and su perheating' the expanding flu d and-preheating the liquid from which the fluid 1s formed, by abstracting a portion of the working fluid at a low temperature, compressing it to the degree of superheat ren5 quired, condensing a ortion of the'same and impartin its latent l ieat of vaporization to the working fluid and to the liqu1d. i

5. Heat-engine process consisting in expending 'a condensible fluid doin useful. r 2o work and su erheating the working uid and preheatingt e li uid; from whichthe workmgfluid is forme to the temperature corresponding to the pressure desired by abstracting a portion 0 theworkingfluid at alow :25 pressure and temperature and compressing the abstracted portion toa pressure corres onding to the temperature esired, con-1 ensing a portion of the com ressed fluid and imp'artmg its latent heato .vaporization to I30 panded gas i partially restored to imexpanduseful reheatingt eliqiiid om'whieh said-fliiidis ormed be I a; temperature'xconeependingjtq the desired pressure, by-ebstrseting 'a tion of the working fluid at a low tempere re 'superheat said fluid and to preheat vt and pressure, compressing" the. abstracted portion to the temperature of superheat de-i I sired in a plurality of stages, condensing a "portion of 'the eompressed' fluid and impnrtmg its latent 'heet'of ve' 'orization at each stage of comp'ressien to t e workin -fluid to e liquid from which the fluid is formed.

i f 7.v Heat-engine 'pi-ocees in ex-j' pending 8 .fi' ndensible-gaa doin u ,i-wei'km'jndloqmpltessing e portion 0 the '1iebaj ;1 acted-.., it? a low temperature vand prea toiraieej ifis' temperature end-transferring rtinlly or.

stored to, incompletely ax-1 I Plfi qdportions; q .4

testimony Ami-.1111 pigned this e ni m presence an subscrib'- ingwitneeses. 1 HENRYL; DOHERTY.

Witnesses: I A. L. O'BRIEN, .v

EVAN Znmr. 

